Parquetry and method of applying it.



F. H. HENDERSON.

PAROUETRY AND METHOD OF APPLYING IT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1916.

l 1 97,985 Patented-Sept. 12, 1916.

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FRED H. HENDERSON, 0F GI-IARLO'ITESVILLE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN G. HENDERSON, 0F CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA.

' PARQUE'IRY AND METHOD OF APPLYING IT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, I916.

Application filed April 14, 1916. Serial No. 91,184.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED H. HENDERSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Oharlottesville, in the county of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Parquetry and Methods of Applying It.

The object of my invention is to enable facing strips, or blocks, such, for example, as those used in parquetry, or other flooring, to be applied in a cheap and thoroughly practical manner without the employment of nails, or other fastening devices which go through the outer surface. For example, the ordinary way of laying parquetry floors is to lay down several strips of flooring, key them up to close the cracks and then nail through the top. This necessitates setting the nail heads with a punch, and then puttying up the exposed nail holes, or cavities.

For the attainment of my object my invention consists in the facing strip, or block and its attaching means constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed, and in the method of constructing and applying the same.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the fastener device that I use; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of said device; Fig. 4: is a perspective view of a piece of flooring strip having the construction embodying, and which is used in the practice, of my invention.

I have illustrated, and shall describe my invention by way of illustration, in its adaptation to the laying of parquetry flooring. In the underside of the flooring strip, or facing 10, I cut, as by means of a saw, a kerf, or slot which forms a narrow deep groove 11 entering from the under, or inner face of the strip and going but partially through the latter, and which is preferably cut at an angle of about degrees from a vertical plane. In the narrow obliquely extending groove thus provided, I insert the body member 12 of the metallic fastener 13 (whose construction is best shown in Figs. 1 to 3) from the edge of which body member projects a series of prongs 14:, the body member, or web, and the prongs standing, in the case illustrated, at an angle of about 120 degrees with reference to each other, since the prongs, when the body member is in the slot in the strip 10, extend at right be driven into the sub-flooring,

angles, or substantially right angles from the under or inner face of said strip. The fastening device being thus attached to the strip it will be seen that by striking upon the outer face of the strip 10, using a block, or cushion hammer to avoid injury to the surface finish of the strip, the prongs will or backing. I have discovered that the fastener constructed and attached as I have shown and described, with the body, or web placed at an angle, a very secure fastening is provided, because by reason of the obliquity of the slot, or groove in which the web is placed it stands at an angle to the direction of movement of the strip 10 required to separate it from the sub-flooring, or backing, and the tendency of pressure upon the inclined web is to rock, or tilt the prongs sidewise, whereby they resist outward movement, such as might easily take place were the pull upon the prongs, as with an ordinary nail, wholly in the direction of their length.

Obviously, the construction is a very cheap one as well as an efficient one, since the web-receiving groove is a simple saw cut, or kerf with parallel, or substantially parallel sides, and there is no objectionable weakening of the strip by providing the groove, nor is there any multiplication of thin or narrow edges that are apt to be easily broken. Since the web-receiving groove extends transversely of the strip, it will be evident, after the strip is fastened to the sub-flooring, or base by the penetration of the prongs into the latter, the strip 10, nevertheless, may be moved sidewise to make a tight joint of its edge with the edge of an adjacent strip and without weakening, or

impairing the hold of the prongs in the sub;

floor, or base. Of course any number of grooves 11 may be provided in the same strip, or block 10.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is g l. A facing strip or block having a narrow deep groove entering one face at an acute angle in combination with a fastening strip comprising a body portion, or web fitting said groove, and integral prongs proj ecting therefrom along one edge at such an angle as to stand at substantially right angle to the face of the facing strip, or block when the web is inserted in said groove.

one edge at an angle to stand at substantially a right angle to the face of the facing strip, or block when the Web is inserted in 10 said groove, and finally by force, or blows applied to the facing strip driving said prongs into a base;

FRED H. HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

L. G. WooDs, I. G. HENDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing. the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

